Hubbard fired as Newport-Mesa chief

Newport-Mesa Superintendent Jeffrey Hubbard, center, and a companion, right, exit the Santa Monica Courthouse with his attorney Salvatore P. Ciulla, in this December 2010 file photo. Hubbard was found guilty of two felony counts of misappropriation of funds Monday for actions he took while head of the Beverly Hills Unified School District. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

November 2011: Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers votes no confidence in Hubbard.

Jan. 23, 2012: Hubbard is convicted on two felony counts and acquitted on a third charge.

Feb. 23, 2012: Hubbard sentencing hearing.

COSTA MESA – Trustees in Newport-Mesa Unified on Tuesday fired Superintendent Jeffrey Hubbard, a day after his conviction for felony misappropriation of funds at his previous district.

Trustees met at Newport-Mesa headquarters Tuesday afternoon for an hour-long closed-door meeting to decide Hubbard's fate as head of the 21,800-student district. After their meeting, trustees emerged to announce Hubbard had been retroactively terminated effective Monday.

Hubbard was not present.

"The board unanimously agreed to terminate Dr. Hubbard's employment with the district ... based on his violation of the penal code," said David Brooks, president of the school board.

A superintendent can be terminated for cause if convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude.

Hubbard turns 55 on Thursday and will be eligible to retire after having compiled 28 years of service, according to the California State Teachers Retirement System. The Register calculated his state retirement pay at $119,920 a year, based on a compensation of $305,920 annually and retirement benefit of 1.4 percent at age 55.

Hubbard faces up to five years in prison and loss of his teaching credential after a Los Angeles Superior Court jury convicted him of giving illegal raises worth more than $20,000 to a favored female employee while he served as superintendent at Beverly Hills Unified School District. Included in the evidence were sexually charged emails Hubbard exchanged with the employee.

Hubbard was charged in December 2010, and took a five-month paid leave of absence to prepare for his trial. School board members stood behind him throughout the process.

"We made a commitment that we would wait for the outcome of the criminal case," trustee Dan Black said Tuesday evening. "Now that Hubbard has had his due process, I feel comfortable that we made the right decision here tonight."

About 20 parents and other community members who attended Tuesday's regular school board meeting cheered when the board announced Hubbard's immediate termination.

Peter Boyd, a parent at Newport Heights Elementary, told the board it should have acted sooner, when charges were first brought against Hubbard.

"Fortunately for this district, we are no longer saddled with Jeffrey Hubbard, now a convicted felon," he said.

Kimberly Claytor, president of the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers, said removing Hubbard was the only viable choice for trustees.

"As educators, we are saddened by the impact that this case has had on the reputation of our district and the resources it has drained from our classrooms," she said. "In an effort to put the past behind us, we look forward to finding a new superintendent who respects the processes in place to protect the public trust."

The case against Hubbard centered on three memos directing Beverly Hills staff to put then Beverly Hills human resources official Nora Roque on a salary track that would raise her pay by $20,000 in five years and give then-facilities director Karen Christiansen a $20,000 bonus and raise her car allowance by $350 monthly.

Hubbard was found not guilty of the charge involving Roque, but guilty of two charges involving Christiansen, 53. Hubbard's relationship with Christiansen was called into question after sexually charged emails were found between the two. Marie Kaplan, a parent at Ensign Intermediate in Newport Beach, said the she was disappointed, but also supported the school board decision.

"From what I knew of Hubbard, he seemed like a genuine person who cared about this district," she said. "But with all that has come out about his actions in Beverly Hills, there is no way he can continue representing Newport-Mesa."

In coming week,s the school board will name an interim superintendent to lead the district until a permanent replacement is found. Brooks said the board hopes to name a permanent chief by this summer.

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Newport-Mesa Superintendent Jeffrey Hubbard, center, and a companion, right, exit the Santa Monica Courthouse with his attorney Salvatore P. Ciulla, in this December 2010 file photo. Hubbard was found guilty of two felony counts of misappropriation of funds Monday for actions he took while head of the Beverly Hills Unified School District. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Newport-Mesa Unified Superintendent Jeffrey Hubbard was convicted Monday on two counts of misappropriation of public funds. FILE PHOTO
Trustees in Newport-Mesa Unified prepare to meet in a second closed door session to discuss the process of naming an interim superintendent at the district's Costa Mesa, Calif. office on Tuesday. They voted to terminate Jeffrey Hubbard as superintendent, a day after his conviction on two counts of misappropriation of public funds. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A radio reporter in the back row records trustees in Newport-Mesa Unified as they announce their vote to terminate Jeffrey Hubbard as superintendent effective Monday. They meet for an hour-long, closed door session in the Costa Mesa district office on Tuesday. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
David Brooks, president of the school board, left, announces that trustees in Newport-Mesa Unified voted to dismiss Jeffrey Hubbard as superintendent of the district at the district office in Costa Mesa, Calif. on Tuesday. Hubbard, who was not present, was convicted on two counts of misappropriation of public funds the day before. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Trustees in Newport-Mesa Unified Paul Reed, acting superintendent, from left, David Brooks, president of the school board, and Dana Black vice-president, voted to dismiss Jeffrey Hubbard as superintendent of the district at the Costa Mesa district office on Tuesday. Hubbard was convicted on two counts of misappropriation of public funds the day before. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Nicholas Dix, executive director of the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers, Kimberly Claytor, NMFT president, and five members of the media waited for trustees in Newport-Mesa Unified decision at the district's Costa Mesa office. The board unanimously agreed to terminate Jeffrey Hubbard as superintendent. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Nicholas Dix, executive director of the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers, waits patiently for trustees in Newport-Mesa Unified to get out of their second closed-door meeting. The board discussed the process of naming an interim superintendent after voting to terminate Jeffrey Hubbard. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Newport-Mesa Unified board members Judith Franco, from left, David Brooks, president, and Walt Davenport head to a second closed door session to discuss the process of naming an interim superintendent at district's Costa Mesa office. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Board member Katrina Foley and Newport-Mesa Unified leave a closed meeting. They decided unanimously to terminate Jeffrey Hubbard as superintendent at the Costa Mesa district office. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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